Dry eye attack modern digital era, and its popularity is only growing. According to popular belief, this disease is caused primarily due to long work at the computer. But actually it has other, sometimes unexpected reasons, said ophthalmologist, ophthalmic surgeon, academician of the Russian Academy of medico-technical Sciences, M. D., Igor Aznauryan.
Symptoms of dry eye syndrome: unexplained lacrimation, redness of eyes, dryness, burning, stinging, feeling of sand and dust
Hormonal imbalance
Normal eyes washed by tears and thus moistened. A tear consists of two main components: fat and water. The imbalance between these components leads to a decrease in quality of tears. When the body hormonal changes, it affects the lipid component of tears, it is reduced. Therefore, the tear can not stay on the eye without fat film. Therefore, one of the symptoms of dry eyes wanton tearing.
Dry air
Many of those who work in the office, use a moisturizer, because I notice the tightness and dryness of the skin. Meanwhile, the eye is dried. In winter, battery in summer because of air conditioning. And this not only leads to dry eye syndrome, but also to the deterioration of the cornea (the transparent outer membrane of the eye). The fact that the cornea receives oxygen and nutrients from tears and less oxygen, the worse is the food. So if you work in a dry room, or at your home, low humidity, buy a humidifier.
Medication
Every drug has side effects. Some popular drugs can cause dry eye syndrome. This, for example, antidepressants and oral contraceptives. They change the hormonal background of a person. And as has been said, hormones regulate the metabolism of fats. Consequently, the fatty component of tears decreases, its quality is deteriorating, and it is not moisturizes the eyes in full.Those who take such drugs as prevention is betterto use so-called artificial tears rewetting drops.
Contact lenses
This is one of the most popular causes of dry eyes. Today lenses used by many people every year diagnoses associated with vision problems, put five million Russians. Contact lenses dry eyes, despite the fact that the person complies with all the hygiene rules, change them every day, uses fresh solution. When patients who wear lenses years made Schirmer test (a special test that determines the quality and quantity of tears in the eye), the figures in the range of 5 mm. And this at a rate of 20 mm! Ideally, everyone who wears lenses should do this test every three months. But, unfortunately, most people don’t even know about its existence, and to discomfort in the eyes have long been accustomed.
Laser vision correction
By the way, laser correction itself can be a cause of dry eye syndrome: if done correctly the operation, it is possible to stay with this problem for life. Before discussing laser surgery, a qualified physician should make the patient sample Schirmer. If it is established that the dry eye syndrome, first, it needs to cure completely and only then to correct the vision. Otherwise, after the laser correction dry eye can worsen, the eyes are constantly itchy, the feeling of dust and not work, but to get rid of this dryness will be very difficult.
Tips for treatment of dry eyes
- Take the Schirmer test and find out how dry your eyes are.
- Do not select rewetting drops alone is a common practice among those who work a lot on computer. Now there are a variety of drops artificial tears have different composition and what suits one person can harm another. Therefore it is better to consult with your doctor.
- Complete a session of modern physiotherapy for the eyes. This procedure is called circulatory laterotemporal lacrimal glands. In 10 sessions, it restores the quality of tears and increases its products. The effect lasts at least six months.
- Do not run concomitant diseases that without treatment can cause dry eye: conjunctivitis, blepharitis, autoimmune diseases.
For those who wears contact lenses and can’t give them even due to dry eyes, modern ophthalmology offers three solution to the problem:
- always use moisturizing drops;
- treatment circulatory laterothoracic lacrimal glands;
- to make laser vision correction to forget about glasses, lenses and dry eye syndrome.
Irina Reznik